Occupy protesters lack real focus

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Government money must not be squandered. That's the one point on which we agree with the Occupy movements sweeping North America. And from that point on we diverge.

The Canadian occupation begins Saturday. Organizers in Toronto, Ottawa, Vancouver, Montreal, Calgary and Halifax are promising thousands will take up the banner in support of their cause. But what exactly will those banners say? We already know from the Manhattan version how muddy their message is.

If it was strictly a message of fiscal prudence, we'd say everyone should jump on board. We don't like bailouts. We don't like, for example, the province of Ontario losing hundreds of millions to prop up automakers. If you're going to make risky business decisions or bet on low-grade debt like U.S. financial institutions did, don't go crying to Daddy if the foreseeable hits the fan.

The taxpayer isn't your parents' wallet. But is that really what the Occupy Wall Street protesters are arguing? We don't think so.

We hope the Canadian gatherings will be sensible discussions about financial regulations within a free market. But in truth we know it will be a pile-on for every wacky view in town.

Video clips of the original Zuccotti Park occupation in Manhattan highlight the protesters' 9/11 conspiracy theories, their desire for free stuff and their resentment for anyone who has worked hard and earned success. If they were serious about financial reform, they'd engage via the channels of democracy available to all of us. Instead they're putting on a circus.

In Canada it's a safe bet to figure that unions like CUPE and agitators like OCAP are going to steal the show for their own niche interests. An organizer of Occupy Ottawa said one focus would be Aboriginal land claims. Hmm. Can anyone say 'lack of focus'?

Unfortunately, these events too closely resemble the Greek riots -- at which people with really low taxes and really high entitlements were angry at their inability to understand and abide by basic math.

We agree that financial institutions, just like governments, need to follow the same rules that hardworking families do: Live within your means and take responsibility for your choices.

We're just skeptical that anyone at these protests is interested in doing the same.